Wouter van der Struys Libri

When faced with the reality of potential death, the concepts of courage and life itself become meaningless. The protagonist grapples with the futility of existence, questioning the significance of even the simplest observations, such as a tree. This sense of pointlessness extends beyond his personal experience, affecting everyone around him, and ultimately, when he ceases to exist, it will have been pointless all along. This profound exploration of war's impact on life and identity is at the heart of the narrative. The story unfolds through various perspectives within C-for-Charlie Company, including Capt. James Stein, his unstable first sergeant Eddie Welsh, and the young privates thrust into battle. The depiction of combat and its psychological toll is strikingly realistic, with dialogue reflecting the rawness of their experiences. This work transcends traditional combat fiction, offering a significant examination of male identity in American literature, positioning the author alongside literary giants like Herman Melville and Stephen Crane.

Once Joe Kurtz needed revenge--and revenge cost him eleven years in Attica prison. Now Kurtz needs a job, and the price is going to be higher. Out of prison, out of touch, Kurtz signs on with the Byron Farino, Don of a Mob family whose son Kurtz had been protecting on the inside. Farino enlists Kurtz's help to track down the Family's missing accountant--a man with too much knowledge of Family business to have on the loose. But someone doesn't want the accountant found--and with enemies inside the Family vying for his throne, and turf warfare just around the corner, Farino needs an outsider like Kurtz to flush out who's really behind this latest affront. As the story twists and turns and the body count rises, Kurtz no longer knows who he can trust. Everyone seems to be after something, from the mob boss's sultry yet dangerous daughter, to a hit man named The Dane, an albino killer who is good with a knife, and a dwarf who is armed to the teeth and hell-bent on revenge. Kurtz has always been an ace investigator. Now he's about to discover that to get at the truth, sometimes you have to go after it--hard.